Lamp fixture



A. O. ELTING LAMP FIXTURE Oct. 13, 1942.

Filed Aug. 28, 1941 of observation of the fixture.

Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAMP FIXTURE August 0. 'Elting, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 28, 1941, Serial No.'408,624

4 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in lamp fixtures of a type having wire-receiving "channelled arms and more particularly to novel means for housing and concealing the wires in said channel.

The structure of the invention is particularly adapted to be embodied in lamp fixtures of the type having a plurality'of radially extending fixture arms, each of which includes an intermediate body portion in the form of an inverted channel along which the usual electrical wires extend. Although the channels in said arms are of sufiicient depth to normally conceal the wires from View, instances of installation or use may require the provision of suitable means 'to completely house and conceal the wires irrespective of the angle For example, should the wires not be drawn taut along the channel they tend to sag and-are thus exposed to view.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a channelled fixture arm with novel readily mount-ed means to conceal electrical wires contained therein.

Another object is to :provide a novel inexpensively manufactured cover'strip adapted for ready installation in or removal from a wire containing channel.

Another object is to provide a channelled fixture arm of the type having a flexible cover strip mounted at its ends in said channel with means to support the intermediate portion of said strip.

The foregoing and such other objects of the invention as will appear hereinafter as the description proceeds, will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following specification; in which reference is had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a lamp fixture body showing a channelled arm thereon embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational "view of the arm mounting taken substantially on line 2-2 :of Fig. 1 and partially broken away.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the resiliently flexible cover strip.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view, similar to Fig. 1, showing another type of fixture arm embodying the invention illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 illustrating the embodiment of Fig. 5 in the modified type of arm.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the invention is contained within a channel shaped arm H mounted at one end in the cirrcumferential wall 12 of a conventional fixture body 13. The precise shape the arm is to take is determined by the specific design of the lamp as 'a whole but in each instance the arm ll includes an intermediate body portion I4 in the form of an inverted wire-receiving channel terminating at one end in a tubular portion or'nipple 15 which communicates-with the channel, and at the other 'end in a substantially vertically disposed tubular portion 16. The upperend of the tubular portion I6 is suitably formed to support a candle cup ill and is externally threaded to receive a conventional lamp socket [8.

Electric wires 19 connect with and extend from the socket -l8 downwardly through the tubular portion l'B and then along the channel in the body portion HI and emerge from the arm through the nipple [5 within the interior of the fixture body I3 where they areconnected to a source of electric current. When properly wired, that is,

.quently are partially exposed below the bottom edges of the channel side walls.

Before entering into a detailed discussion of the'precise struc- "ture and arrangement directed to overcome this possibility of wire exposure, a brief description of a preferred construction and method of mounting thearms to the fixture body is desirable.

As shown, a circumferential external flange 2| is formed inwardly of the free'end of the nipple 1-5 to provide an abutment against the outside face of the fixture body wall l2 when the arm is mounted in place. One 'or more substantially square radial lugs 22, best shown inFig. 2, preferably are formed integral with the nipple and flange 2|. These lugs are arranged to pass through similar spaced recesses or notches 23 in the edge of the fixture body wall opening. To assemble, the nipple I5 is inserted into the body wall opening and its free end is expanded and preferably rolled outwardly radially and downwardly tightly against the inside face of the wall I2. Expansion and rolling of the nipple draws the flange 2| tightly against the outside face of the fixture body and carries the lugs 22 outwardly :radially so as to substantially fill the recesses 23. Obviously, arms mounted in this manner are securely held against twisting or turning within their mounting.

The cover strip 24 embodying the features of the present invention is best illustrated in Fig. 3 and consists of an elongated strip of resiliently flexible material formed to conform substantially to at least a part of the contour of the fixture arm within which it is to be mounted. As

shown, the strip 24 is substantially thesame width as the inside width of the channel so as to be embraced snuggly thereby when in place. One end of the strip 24 is ofiset upwardly at 25 and then outwardly to define a tongue 26 which is less in width than the body portion of the strip and is adapted to be inserted freely within the nipple I5. end of the nipple to limit insertion of the tongue.

While mounting the cover strip, its slightly tapered free end portion 21 initially assumes a position substantially as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, To complete the mounting, the strip is flexed sufiiciently to permit its free end to be inserted into the tubular portion I6 and it then is urged upwardly into the position shown in full lines. The inherent resiliency of the strip maintains the end portion 21 in frictional engagement with the opposing surface of the tubular portion l6 and consequently prevents displacement of the strip.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5 is substantially like that just described except that in this instance the cover strip 24a is longer and its free end portion 21 has an outwardly turned lip 28 arranged to hook over the upper end of the tubular arm portion 16. To mount this strip, the tongue 26 is engaged in the nipple l5 and its free end portion is forced into the tubular portion l6 into its final position. This construction provides positive means for detachably locking both ends of the strip in place irrespective of the degree of friction resulting from the resiliency of the strip. It should be apparent, therefore, that the cover strip 240. may be made from material having less resiliency than the frictionally held strip 24.

In Fig. 6, the invention is shown applied to another type of fixture arm wherein the intermediate body portion Ma is of considerable length. The specific arm illustrated is particularly adapted to support fluorescent tube sockets and has a substantially rectangular socket containing receptacle 29 at the upper end of its tubular portion Hi. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the recepacle 29 is made of two parts, one of which consists of a base plate 3! detachably secured to the upper end of the tubular portion structed in the same manner as the mounted end of the arm illustrated in Fig. 1. In other words, the nipple and lug structure of Fig. 1 is provided on both ends of the arm in Fig. 6.

The cover strip 241) preferably is like that illustrated in Fig, 3 except that it necessarily is longer. Obviously because of the its length and inherent resiliency, a strip of such length normally would tend to bow or bulge downwardly below the bottom edges of the channel side walls. This may be avoided by bridging the channel at one or more places with suitable supports, such as for example, drive screws 32. As shown, the screws 32 extend tranversely through the channel side walls beneath the cover strip 241). In the event two such bridges are provided, one drive screw is mounted prior to insertion of the cover strip and the second one is mounted only after the free end portion 21b of said strip is inserted into the tubular portion I6.

The embodiment illustrated in Fig, 8 discloses l6 by an arrangement con- The offset 25 abuts the l an arm substantially like that shown in Fig. 6 except that in this instance the bottom wall 3| a of the socket receptacle 29 is formed integral with the upper end of the tubular portion l6 and consequently affords a substantially fiat face at said upper end. The cover strip 24c illustrated is like the cover strip disclosed in the embodiment in Fig. 5 except that it, like the strip shown in Fig. 6, is longer.

The fiat upper end face of the tubular portion I6 affords means for co-active engagement by a lip 28 on the end of the cover strip, consequently this strip also may be made of material having less resiliency than the one shown in Fig. 6.

Although exemplary forms of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail it should be understood that the disclosures are not restrictive but that the invention may embody variations in detail structure and that the cover srip may be used in associaion with channelled fixure arms embodying other details and shapes without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a lamp fixture, a fixture arm including a body portion providing an inverted wire-receiving channel and having a tubular portion at each end communicating with the channel, and a resiliently flexible cover strip having a tongue at one end engageable in one of said tubular portions and having its other end engageable in the other tubular portion by flexing said cover strip to retain the cover strip in the channel to house wires therein. v

2. In a lamp fixture, a fixture arm including a body portion providing an inverted wire-receiving channel and having a tubular portion at each end communicating with said channel, a resiliently flexible cover strip having one end insertable in one of said tubular portions and having its other end formed to co-act with the other tubular portion upon flexing said cover strip to retain the cover strip in the channel to house wires therein, and a shoulder adjacent one end of said strip to limit the insertion of said end in the tubular portion.

3. In a lamp fixture, a fixture body, a fixture arm including a body portion providing an inverted wire-receiving channel terminating adjacent one end in a tubular portion, a nipple at each end of said arm communicating with said channel, one of said nipples co-acting with the fixture body to mount the arm in place, a lamp socket receptacle engaged with the other nipple, and a resiliently flexible cover strip in said channel having one end engageable in the nipple at the mounted arm end and having its other end co-acting with the tubular portion upon flexing said cover strip to retain the cover strip within the channel.

4. An article of the character described comprising a fixture arm including a body portion providing an inverted wire-receiving channel and having a tubular portion at each end communicating with said channel, a resiliently flexible cover strip arranged in said channel and having its end portions engaged in said openings, and means in the body portion of said arm to support the intermediate portion of said cover strip.

AUGUST 0. ELTING. 

